Biometric device, system, and method for individual access control

• US 9,058,474 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2009
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Alvord, Chuck H., Matthews, Marvin M., Hick, Stephen C., Canseco, Medge R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHERWIN, RYAN W
• Application Number:
  US12/654,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20100214057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• Field of Search: 340/1.1, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.51, 340/5.52, 340/5.53, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.82, 340/5.83, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.14, 340/539.15, 382124-127, 4554561-457
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/12 Fingerprints or palmprints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/40 Security arrangements using identity modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A biometric device, and a corresponding system and a method, is used to control human access to an arbitrary area. The device includes a biometric capture system that reads specified biometric information from an individual and that compares the biometric information to previously stored biometric information to determine a match between the read and stored biometric information; a position location system that records the geographic location of the device, and determines if the device is inside the United States or outside the United States; an encryption system that encrypts the geographic location and a device-unique identification; and a wireless system that sends the encrypted geographic location and the device-unique identification to a remote location, where if the geographic location is inside the United States, the device receives a test satisfactory signal, and where if the geographic location is outside the United States, the device receives an exit satisfactory signal.

Claims

1. A biometric system useable to control human access to an arbitrary area, the biometric system comprising:

a central server provided at a remote location; and

a biometric device comprising;

a biometric capture system that reads specified biometric information from an individual and that compares the specified biometric information to previously stored biometric information to determine a match between the read and stored biometric information;

a position location system that determines geographic location data of the biometric device;

an encryption system that encrypts the geographic location data and a device-unique identification; and

a wireless system using a wireless connection, that sends the encrypted geographic location data and the encrypted device-unique identification to the central server;

wherein the central server determines a geographic location of the biometric device from the encrypted geographic location data received from the biometric device, wherein if the geographic location is inside the United States, the biometric device receives a test satisfactory signal from the central server, and wherein if the geographic location is outside the United States, the central server determines that an exit verification procedure is in progress and updates a travel record with the date and time of exit, the central server generates an exit verification signal based on the determined geographic location and sends the exit verification signal to the biometric device, and the biometric device receives the exit verification signal from the central server and displays an exit verification in response to the received exit verification signal; and

wherein the biometric device is shut down and disabled upon receiving the exit verification signal or the biometric device disconnects the wireless connection upon receiving the exit verification signal.

2. The biometric system of claim 1, wherein the biometric capture system uses a minutiae extraction algorithm to read the specified biometric information.

3. The biometric system of claim 1, wherein the biometric device further comprises a housing enclosing the biometric capture system, the position location system, the encryption system, and the wireless system, wherein the housing includes tamper-resistant features to prevent unauthorized opening of the biometric device.

4. The biometric system of claim 3, wherein the tamper-resistant features include a disable feature that permanently disables the biometric device should the housing be opened in an unauthorized manner.

5. The biometric system of claim 3, wherein the tamper-resistant features include a disable feature that erases any stored data and programs should be the housing be tampered with.

6. The biometric system of claim 1, wherein the biometric device further comprises one or more of a multipurpose indicator that indicates a satisfactory test of the biometric device, an exit verification indicator that indicates a successful exit from the United States, a wireless connectivity indicator that indicates when the biometric device is able to send and receive wireless communications in a satisfactory manner, and a power indicator that indicates both when the biometric device is powered on and when the biometric device has sufficient power to operate and perform its intended functions.

7. The biometric system of claim 1, wherein the biometric device further comprises a scanning window that records the specified biometric information from the individual.

8. The biometric system of claim 7, wherein the scanning window includes a status window or a touch screen control panel.

9. The biometric system of claim 1, wherein the biometric device further comprises a microphone or a speaker to allow verbal communications between the biometric device and the individual.

10. The biometric system of claim 1, wherein the biometric capture system is set to require capture of fingerprint data from more than one finger.

11. The biometric system of claim 10, wherein the biometric capture system indicates which specific finger(s) is to be scanned.

12. The biometric system of claim 10, wherein the biometric capture system randomly instructs the individual which finger(s) to scan.

13. The biometric system of claim 10, wherein the biometric capture system identifies the finger scanned and compares the biometric information to the previously stored biometric information to determine a match.

14. The biometric system of claim 1, wherein the biometric device is shut down and disabled upon receiving the exit verification signal.

15. The biometric system of claim 1, wherein the biometric device receives the test satisfactory signal from the central server upon successful comparison of the specified biometric information with the previously stored biometric information, while the geographic location of the biometric device is inside the United States.

16. The biometric system of claim 15, wherein the wireless system does not send the specified biometric information to the central server.

17. The biometric system of claim 1, wherein the biometric device receives the exit verification signal from the central server upon successful comparison of the specified biometric information with the previously stored biometric information, while the geographic location of the biometric device is outside the United States.

18. The biometric system of claim 17, wherein the wireless system does not send the specified biometric information to the central server.

19. A method for controlling human access to an arbitrary area, the method comprising:

reading specified biometric information from an individual using a biometric device;

comparing, using the biometric device, the specified biometric information to previously stored biometric information to determine a match between the read and stored biometric information;

determining geographic location data of the biometric device using the biometric device;

encrypting, using the biometric device, the geographic location data and a device-unique identification;

sending, using a wireless connection, the encrypted geographic location data and the encrypted device-unique identification from the biometric device to a central server provided at a remote location; and

determining, via the central server, a geographic location of the biometric device from the encrypted geographic location data received from the biometric device;

if the geographic location is inside the United States, sending a test satisfactory signal from the central server to the biometric device; and

if the geographic location is outside the United States, the central server;

determining that an exit verification procedure is in progress;

updating a travel record with the date and time of exit;

generating an exit verification signal based on the determined geographic location; and

sending the exit verification signal from the central server to the biometric device;

wherein the biometric device is shut down and disabled upon receiving the exit verification signal or the biometric device disconnects the wireless connection upon receiving the exit verification signal.

20. A biometric system useable to control human access to an arbitrary area, the biometric system comprising:

a central server provided at a remote location; and

a biometric device comprising;

a biometric capture system that reads specified biometric information from an individual and that compares the specified biometric information to previously stored biometric information to determine a match between the read and stored biometric information;

a position location system that determines geographic location data of the biometric device;

an encryption system that encrypts the geographic location data and a device-unique identification; and

a wireless system, using a wireless connection, that sends the encrypted geographic location data and the encrypted device-unique identification to the central server;

wherein the central server determines a geographic location of the biometric device from the encrypted geographic location data received from the biometric device;

wherein the biometric device receives a test satisfactory signal from the central server if the geographic location is inside the United States;

wherein the central server determines that an exit verification procedure is in progress and updates a travel record with the date and time of exit, the central server generates an exit verification signal based on the determined geographic location and sends the exit verification signal to the biometric device, the biometric device receives the exit verification signal from the central server and displays an exit verification in response to the received exit verification signal, only if the geographic location is outside the United States; and

wherein the biometric device is shut down and disabled upon receiving the exit verification signal or the biometric device disconnects the wireless connection upon receiving the exit verification signal.

21. A biometric system useable to control human access to an arbitrary area, the biometric system comprising:

a biometric device comprising;

a biometric capture system that reads specified biometric information from an individual and that compares the specified biometric information to previously stored biometric information to determine a match between the read and stored biometric information;

a position location system that determines geographic location data of the biometric device;

an encryption system that encrypts the geographic location data and a device-unique identification; and

a wireless system, using a wireless connection, that sends the encrypted geographic location data and the encrypted device-unique identification to a central server;

wherein the central server determines a geographic location of the biometric device from the encrypted geographic location data received from the biometric device;

wherein the biometric device receives a test satisfactory signal from the central server if the geographic location is inside the United States;

wherein the central server determines that an exit verification procedure is in progress and updates a travel record with the date and time of exit, the central server generates an exit verification signal based on the determined geographic location and sends the exit verification signal to the biometric device, the biometric device receives the exit verification signal from the central server and displays an exit verification in response to the received exit verification signal, only if the geographic location is outside the United States; and

wherein the biometric device is shut down and disabled upon receiving the exit verification signal or the biometric device disconnects the wireless connection upon receiving the exit verification signal.

22. A method for controlling human access to an arbitrary area, the method comprising:

reading specified biometric information from an individual using a biometric device;

comparing, using the biometric device, the specified biometric information to previously stored biometric information to determine a match between the read and stored biometric information;

determining geographic location data of the biometric device using the biometric device;

encrypting, using the biometric device, the geographic location data and a device-unique identification;

sending, using a wireless connection, the encrypted geographic location data and the encrypted device-unique identification from the biometric device to a central server provided at a remote location; and

the biometric device receiving a signal from the central server based on a determination of a geographic location of the biometric device made by the central server from the encrypted geographic location data;

wherein the received signal is a test satisfactory signal if the geographic location of the biometric device is inside a defined geographic area;

wherein the received signal is an exit verification signal if the geographic location of the biometric device is outside the defined geographic area, the central server;

determining that an exit verification procedure is in progress; and

updating a travel record with the date and time of exit; and

wherein the biometric device is shut down and disabled upon receiving the exit verification signal or the biometric device disconnects the wireless connection upon receiving the exit verification signal.